Around 100 residents were evacuated from Elegance Gardens in Tuen Mun early Monday morning after thick smoke filled a housing unit. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The incident occurred around 6.46am when residents noticed dense smoke coming from a unit and promptly alerted the authorities.
The Fire Services Department deployed one water jet and a breathing apparatus team to the scene.
Approximately 100 residents—around 40 men and 60 women—were safely evacuated, with no injuries reported.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the smoke was caused by an electric kettle igniting nearby items, with no suspicious circumstances involved.
However, the event revealed concerns regarding the estate's fire alarm system. According to residents, only the alarms in Block 3 activated during the emergency, while those in the affected Block 1 and neighboring Block 2 failed to sound.
Safety anxieties are further heightened by the estate's current major repair works managed by Prestige Construction & Engineering Company Limited (PC&E), which is also involved in renovations at Wang Fuk Court, raising fears among residents that a similar tragedy could occur due to the use of the same type of mesh netting.
In response, the estate management conducted tests on both new and used safety nets, revealing that while new nets met fire-resistant criteria, the effectiveness of used netting had decreased.
As a precaution, the engineering consultancy has ordered a temporary halt to all repair work until the necessary documentation is submitted.
